Intuitive Painting: What Is It & Have You Ever?

“Intuitive or Process Painting allows individuals to travel a private path where they can uncover images of their inner selves through painting.

Play is encouraged.

The goal is not to make paintings for exhibition or to learn specific techniques.

The goal is to allow yourself the space to be inside color, paint, & process while locating the inner core of your creative self.”

– Nancy Fletcher Cassell

‘Breathe, relax, & tune-in, let go; open, still, calm, quiet – you become a beacon/a bridge/a channel; & the Universe/Spirit speak to you, & it will, through the canvas.’ Having recently tried my hand (head? heart?) at meditating I soon realized how much the two have in common. You just never know what kind of messages you’ll get. Here are two beautiful expressions by whimsical Intuitive Artist Flora Bowley:

Intuition is a Key that opens many a lock 😉

& her 10 tips / reasons to paint, & I do concur! I’ve since purchased books by both ladies!

IN MEDITATION

A FORM OF HEALING

A METHOD OF JOURNAL KEEPING

TO SILENCE YOUR INNER CRITIC

RESOURCE FOR LIVING A FULL LIFE

RELEASE FROM STRESS & COMPETITION

TO REST & RENEW YOUR SPIRIT

FEED YOUR PROFESSIONAL ART PROCESS

RELEASE YOURSELF FROM CREATIVE BLOCKS

TO GIVE YOURSELF LIFE

I don’t know ‘whose idea’ The Universe was – but it’s a messenger alright; in my life for sure, & there are others too. Messages can be received in a variety of ways. I’ve had inexplicable things just appear, without a conscious thought in sight!

My first (clueless) attempt: It started out as an orange background, & with a small brush I took some blue paint & began to just make swirls, like the ribbons I love doing – ‘Ribbons’. Do you remember the first time you tried to paint something? Especially if you’re like me & without any kind of artistic background, training, or even an artsy relative .. Do you remember having any clue as to what to paint; let alone even a smidge of a grasp on the incredible variety of techniques, tools, styles, colors, etc?

So why & how did this girl appear on my tiny I’m-just-gonna-push-some-paint-around-and-see-what-happens-canvas, & who kinda reminds me of me? And she just happens to be standing in front of what looks like a tornado? And beyond that, a swirl of blue skies are on the other side of that tornado – & lo & behold – an Angel? Seemingly ‘guarding’ the ‘entrance’ of a place with golden light?

The Angel literally just appeared. It actually looks just like an angel. It looks like it’d take quite some effort to try to paint that; effort & some experience/talent/skill .. None of which, atm, I have enough of to be able to purposefully paint, let alone draw, an angel like that – those wings, esp the right one, look so – Angelic.

I look at this little painting, in shock & awe. I never set out to paint anything. How could I? I didn’t know how to do anything yet. My running joke for 44 years re my ‘artistic talent’ was coming up with a slightly humorous way to look at my complete lack of artistic anything: ‘If I try to draw a blue house it looks like a red boat!’ I made up a silly joke to cover up why I couldn’t do something – that I never even tried! I’ve been gifted some pretty precious things – but patience was not among them. Kinda like when I tried teaching myself acoustic guitar but was ‘pissed’ (translate – impatient) that I hadn’t become Jimi Hendrix within the first 2 weeks: ‘Stella’ 🎸

So what’s the moral of the story? Well – do you want to succeed, stop suffering, & discover the endless well of Eternal Joy inside you that you can tap into at any moment?